Tribute Tales from the 74th Hunger Games
by Social Resistance
Summary: We all know about the 'star-crossed lovers of District Twelve', but what about their fellow tributes? What about the other 22 children forced to fight to the death? What about the losers? In this series, I attempt to tell their stories as I imagine them.


Tribute Tales from the 74th Hunger Games

**Note: I figured since the books never really expand on the other Tributes, and even in the film 'Tribute Guide' book, most of the Tributes are referred to as "Tribute Boy" or "Tribute Girl", I would write some short drabbles about them or their background. I will go in order of the Districts, obviously skipping our 'Star-crossed Lovers' (Although I may relent and do Peeta). Please comment and enjoy.**

Name: Glimmer Nova

She stood beside her schoolmates, twin blond braids blowing in the wind as the escort for District One stuck his hand in the glass globe containing the names of girls ages twelve and to eighteen.

"Ladies first," he said as his hand groped around the papers.

Glimmer wondered why he had to make that same joke every year, why all the escorts did. The Games may be taken lightly by spectators, but not by the Tributes, not by Careers like her. Her palms began to sweat and she discreetly wiped them on her shimmery silver skirt.

She did not want her name to be called.

Of course, as a Career, she was expected to volunteer as Tribute. That was what her father expected, what he _demanded_.

But Glimmer didn't want it, not since she'd watched her brother get drowned by an especially sadistic Tribute from District Four three years ago. Sheen had been seventeen, Glimmer twelve. When he volunteered to take the place of their twelve-year-old neighbor, Rubus (Why someone would condemn their child to such a name, she would never know, although some could question the practicality of her own name). Sheen had promised he would win, that he would come back for her. Sheen lied. He had been a Career yet he still died at the hands of some fishmonger from Four. Her father had been furious, her mother sick with grief, while Glimmer herself wished she was dead. She had loved her brother deeply. She still did.

"Star Langford," the escort's voice boomed over the hushed audience.

Glimmer watched as a shaking, knobby-kneed child with brown hair made her way out of the lineup. She was escorted by white clad Peacekeepers up to the stage. The seventeen-year-old's heart clenched at the sight. Star was only twelve, this was her first Reaping. Glimmer saw her at school with the rest of the underclassmen, and often playing outside with her fellow children.

She wasn't a Career, not even close.

Glimmer's gray-green eyes searched the roped off area for Star's parents. When she found Mr. and Mrs. Langford, a knot rose in her throat. Mrs. Langford was sobbing, almost shouting over and over about her "baby". Mr. Langford clutched his wife to his chest and shook his head. His eyes were clenched tightly. Glimmer cleared her throat and forced her gaze to the front again.

The escort plunged his hand into the globe full of boys' names.

"Marvel Luxe," he announced.

Upon hearing his name, Marvel thrust his fists into the air and yelled. His friends followed suit, cheering him on and slapping him on the back as he jogged up to the stage.

Marvel. Big, stupid, strong, Marvel. Why did he have to get paired up with little Star?

Star couldn't use anything to her advantage. She had no training, no useful skills. She was too young, awkward, and gawky to be considered beautiful. What could Star offer to anyone? How could she get sponsors?

It would be easy for her. Glimmer was pretty, beautiful even. She wasn't vain about that, she only took it as fact. She was good. Maybe not as good as some, but good enough. Good enough to survive a long time, maybe win. She had a better chance than Star did.

That was why, when the escort called for any volunteers, she raised her hand. Gasps resounded from her friends, but she had to do something. She couldn't go another year listening to her father berate her for not volunteering, and she couldn't condemn Star to what would be her certain death. She couldn't let stupid Marvel be the Victor.

So she raised her hand.

The Peacekeepers appeared at her side and collected her. Star was escorted off the stage, and as she passed the older girl, she lunged past the authorities and hugged Glimmer around her middle.

"Thank you," the girl whispered.

Glimmer hugged her back. "You're welcome."

"You're gonna win," the brunette continued.

Glimmer smiled down at her. "I'll try."

One Peacekeeper gently pulled the younger girl off the older and kindly escorted her to her relieved parents. Mrs. Langford pulled her daughter into her arms and seemed to almost suffocate her with her embrace. Mr. Langford stood to the side, staring at Glimmer as she walked by. The blond teen glanced at the relieved family. The father mouthed two words that made whatever happened, whatever would happen in the arena worth her sacrifice for this child.

"Thank you," the father mouthed.

Glimmer smiled. "You're welcome," she whispered.

She didn't care if the Peacekeepers heard her. She had shown a soft side, but now she needed to become a diamond. Hard, strong, but flawlessly beautiful.

"Well hello, and what is your name?" the escort asked, leaning the microphone toward the blond girl.

Marvel leaned forward and watched Glimmer with what she thought was a stupid look (surprise surprise).

"My name is Glimmer Nova," she gave a devious smile into the cameras.

"So tell me Glimmer, why did you volunteer?"

She flipped one braid and laughed. "Well, I couldn't let the young ones have all the glory now could I?"

The crowd, her people, cheered. Even Marvel smiled. Her gray-green eyes searched the crowd until they rested on a slow clapping figure of a man.

Her father looked so proud, beaming even.

Only the Langfords stood stationary among the moving crowd, staring up at the girl who saved their daughter's life. Star herself was crying.

Glimmer forced her gaze away and glanced at Marvel. He looked back at her and smiled again. She gave him a half-smile back. Marvel was stupid, but strong. He could be easily manipulated. They could work together, be a team, join the other Careers and make a pack, which was how it usually went.

She winked at him, then stared straight into the cameras.

"Is Panem ready for a District One Victor?" she asked.

The crowd roared.

Glimmer grinned, a sinfully sweet upturn of her red lips.

* * *

><p>Glimmer had smiled, laughed, and plotted her way through the interview with Caesar Flickerman. She had played coy when asked about her strategy for the arena, and had allowed her nearly sheer gown to give the optimal view for potential sponsors. Now, she sat in the suite she shared with Marvel, wondering what came next. She knew that training began tomorrow, but she wondered what came next in terms of herself. Who would she ally with? Marvel was the easy choice. He was strong and easily manipulated. But what about the others? Would they even be interested in a pack? What role would she play in it?<p>

"Hey," a deep, timid voice brought her out of her thoughts.

Glimmer turned her head to look at the boy she currently resided with. "Hello."

Marvel took her return greeting as invitation to sit beside her on the white, plush couch. He clasped his hands together and leaned forward, staring at the screen. Glimmer had left the interviews on but muted the sound. She didn't want to hear about the others, didn't want to look at them as anything but targets, didn't want to see them as human children.

Marvel had changed out of his blue suit, just as she had changed out of her short dress. Now he wore black slacks and a blue shirt (did he always wear blue?). She herself had changed into a simple green dress.

"So, what are you choosing for your token?" the boy asked.

Glimmer averted her eyes and shrugged. "I'm not sure."

"My little brother, Atlas, he gave me his bracelet," Marvel fingered the blue and green beaded string. "So I figured I'd use that."

Glimmer looked at the piece of jewelry. It certainly was beautiful, in a simplistic way. The beads were made of the finest glass, and they reflected light at every turn.

"My brother," she began quietly, then cleared her throat. "Sheen. He had…he had this diamond." She reached in the pocket of the dress and pulled out a small, black cloth bag. She poured the contents out into her hand. "It's a rough cut, and not processed in any way. He found it in the market one day…" She showed Marvel the roughhewn rock. "Anyway, it was his token. Sheen called it his 'lucky stone' and I figured…well, maybe it'll be luckier for me than it was for him. Even if it's not…" Glimmer trailed off, afraid to expose herself further.

"You'll be carrying a part of him with you," Marvel finished, smiling sadly.

Glimmer returned the smile. "Allies?"

Marvel nodded. "Allies."

After they made their pact, they sat in companionable silence, staring at the muted screen.

* * *

><p>It hurt so much.<p>

That District twelve girl…Katlips, or something like that, had dropped an entire hive of tracker jackers on Glimmer and her allies. The blond tribute was unable to get away, to run to the water as Cato had shouted. She felt someone grab for her, Marvel maybe, but they withdrew immediately when the flying monster bugs went after them. Glimmer thought she heard her name being called, followed by a sorry, before she fell onto the ground. Glimmer thrashed and screamed as the bugs stung her, filling her body with the toxic hallucinogen that was their venom. As the mutant insects abandoned her body in favor of those still living, those running away, Glimmer stared up at the sunlight coming through the canopy of the forest.

A shadow fell across her vision however, and she turned her gray-green eyes toward the source.

"Sheen?" she croaked.

Her bright green-eyed, blond haired brother smiled softly down at her. "Hey Glim."

"Am I…dying?" she hated the sound of her own voice, but she wanted to talk to him.

Sheen nodded sadly. "But it'll be alright Glimmer. I promise."

Glimmer's shaky, puffy hand made it's way to her pocket. She pulled out the diamond and gripped it tightly in her fist.

"Is this real?" she whispered.

Sheen leaned down and stroked her hair. "Of course it is."

Glimmer felt as if her body were on fire. It stung. It hurt. She wanted it to end.

"Sheen? It-It hurts."

He frowned. "I know Glim, I know. You need to do something for me."

"What?"

"You need to let go. Just close your eyes and it'll all be over."

"No more Games?"

"No more Games."

"No pain?"

"None at all."

Glimmer looked into his eyes. "Will we be together?" She felt like a child, asking so many questions.

Sheen smiled softly and kissed her hair. "Yes we will Glimmer, but you need to let go."

Glimmer looked at the sky one more time. She could vaguely see Katlips scrambling down the tree. Glimmer wondered why, then remembered that she had the weapon the girl desperately wanted. The bow and quiver of arrows. The weapon that could save her life, bring her home to her family, to her little sister.

"She has a sister…" Glimmer muttered.

She turned her eyes to Sheen again. "Can I wait?"

Sheen's face fell. "Glim, you have to go. You can't stay."

"I know that…I just…" the blond felt a tear streak down her puffed cheek. "She needs these." The dying girl nodded the weapon on her back. "She has a sister. If I…if I leave…they'll take me away before…" Glimmer felt more tears fall. "She needs them."

Sheen squeezed her hand. "You don't have a lot of time Glim."

But the girl was determined. She was going to remain alive long enough for the dark haired girl to attain her means to victory. She was going to allow this girl to have a chance at surviving. She was going to help a girl who hours before she had taunted from the ground. Glimmer heard a soft thud as the District Twelve tribute hit the ground and began running toward her.

"Now?" It was Sheen's turn to ask the questions.

Glimmer looked at the sky. "Now."

She closed her eyes for the last time, and distantly, she heard a cannon.

Brilliant, bright white filled her vision.

_Run Girl on Fire._

_Run._


End file.
